NP2096 or NP2098

Hey guys,
This is my first post here (obviously), but I wanted your advice on the which one of these 2 you recommend, the NP2096 or NP2098?

I will list the main differences that stand out to me. I may end up answering my own question after writing this post!

Differences:

-2096 (1280x800 or 1680x1050) has a better display than the
2098 (1366x768)

-2096 comes with a 9-cell battery, the 2098 only comes with a 6-cell.

-Both are the same price

-Graphics
2096 comes with the 9600M GT
2098 comes with the Radeon HD4650
Which is better? I don't know.


Everything else seems to be fairly comparable. I guess the 2096 looks like the winner, but which one has the better graphics card and which will be more capable?

Which one will have a better battery life? (Even though the 2096 has a 9-cell battery, the 2098 is listed to have a longer battery life. Is this correct?)

Which one will stay cooler?

Thanks in advance guys.

 

Just noticed this. Maybe this will help you guys out.

General Questions

1) What is your budget?

$1000-$1500

2) What size notebook would you prefer?

d. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen


3) Where will you buying this notebook? You can select the flag of your country as an indicator.

US

4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?

a. Like: Sager, Alienware
b. Dislike: HP, Compaq


5) What are the primary tasks will you be performing with this notebook?

Gaming (currently mostly play WOW, would like to be able to play others down the road)

6) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places, leaving it on your desk or both?

Need to be able to comfortably use it on my lap.

7) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games or types of games?

Yes, WOW, Call of Duty, Oblivion, etc...

8) How many hours of battery life do you need?

Not a great concern. Will usually be near an outlet.

9) Would you prefer to see the notebooks you're considering before purchasing it or buying a notebook on-line without seeing it is OK?

I would prefer to see it, but I realize that may not always be an option.

10) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista), Mac OS, Linux, etc.

Windows. I guess Vista.

Screen Specifics

11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?

b. WXGA+ – 1440x900; A modest bump over WXGA. Text and icons are a bit smaller. A little more stuff fits on the screen.
c. WSXGA+ – 1680x1050; The middle ground. Again, text and icons are smaller than WXGA+, and more stuff fits onto the screen. Good for having applications open side by side, like a web browser while playing a video.



12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?

Doesnt matter.

Build Quality and Design

13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?

I don't want it to be very flashy. Try to avoid neons!

14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?

Hopefully soon. I would like it to last 2-5 years.

Notebook Components

15) How much hard drive space do you need; 80GB to 500GB? Do you want a SSD drive?

I dont need very much space, so 250-320GB and SSD is too expensive.

16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, DVD Burner or Blu-Ray drive?

CDRW/DVD or DVD Burner

 

I just made this decision (went with the 2098) and it depends on where you stand with this trade-off:

16x9 LED that only goes to 1366x768 + slightly stronger GPU for the 2098,
or 16x10 HD display and a bigger battery for the 2096?

I chose the 2098 because I'm fine with 1366x768...I can't tell too much of a difference after that on <17" screens. XoticPC lists them as having similar battery life, but logically, the 2096 should be a bit better. Can't really say until there are reviews on both.

 

4650 is better than the 9600m GT...Look here this should clarify any unclear GPU decisions


http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-GTX-280M.14558.0.html

 

2098 has a better video card and has DDR3 memory.

2096 has 9600 GT and has DDR2 memory.

Obviously the resolution differences, but I think that's a personal preference.

 

Pretty much as stated above. The HD4650 is a modest upgrade from a DDR2 9600m GT. However, personally I'm not a fan of 16:9 screens at all, and 1366x768 is much too low for my tastes. Nonetheless, it is a personal opinion that differs amongst people. Theoretically the NP2096 does have the battery advantage as well. Oh, and the NP2098 also has DDR3 RAM and is a tad bit lighter.

So for performance, the NP2098 does win, but it's up to you if you want to work with that screen.

 

You also have to remember that Nvidia is usually easier to deal with than the ATI.

 

I'm not buying a GPU with DDR2 memory.

 

............?